I'm Back with My License

After three long years, I am finally back in the hometown of my Papa, here at Baganian. It is situated in the southernmost part of Zamboanga del Sur. It took me a very long while to visit again because of the review, then the pandemic happened. And because of that, I wasn't able to say goodbye to my beloved Lolo Panyong. I promised him that I will be back when I claim my license.

I was hesitant to go here because Baganian is still a secluded place. When I stayed here for a month last 2019, my phone was only necessary to take a picture. I can neither text nor call. No WiFi either. But thankfully, this place has been installed with a Peso Net. At the moment, I paid 25 PHP for five hours. The downside: our bakery is a little bit distant from the router so the loading time feels like forever.

It was a good decision that I didn't follow my mother's request to travel on Tuesday. Else, I'll be absent from work for four days.

From my hometown in Lanao del Norte, it took me and my 20-year-old uncle 7-long-butt-cracking hours of land travel. It was a total of three rides: a bus, an electric tricycle (bajaj or bao²), and a van.

The last trip going to Baganian departs at 4:00 PM. We were able to depart at almost noon, and I doubted that we will be able to make it on the last trip. The bus ride travel time could've been lessened if not for the fetching and dropping off the passenger. Not to mention the road widening. If by chance, we couldn't make it, Mama messaged me to stop at Culabay and Papa will fetch us.

Papa is already tired from waking up at around 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM, doing deliveries in the morning and then in the afternoon. So I was desperate to ride on the last trip. And thank God, we were able to make it. We were the last passenger in the van.

For the whole travel, I didn't munch any food or drink water and didn't even eat breakfast. Reason? I don't want to pee at the bus stops or terminals, especially have an upset stomach during travel.

It was already past 6:00 PM when we arrive in Baganian. And what surprised me the most is that 90% of the road going to Baganian is cemented already.

During my first visit to Baganian, Papa had to tie me around his waist with a thick rope because I easily fall asleep. He had to tie me since we were only riding a motorcycle. I was in a deep sleep that I didn't notice the road was very, very bumpy. I only knew about the rocky road when we had to go back to Lanao del Norte. I even asked Papa how did I manage to be in a deep sleep state. He just laughed and was amused, as well.

The last time I visited Baganian, in late 2019, I almost fell out of the motorcycle because of the rocky road. I tried so hard not to fall asleep so Papa will not have a hard time driving with a sleepy log on his back. At that time, the road was 30% cemented.

It feels so odd not to see Lolo here with teary eyes and a big smile on his face. I'll be visiting his tomb tomorrow, bringing along my license. I know he is proud to have an engineer grandchild. He will be watching from afar.

Also, I'm happy I still have Tatay, Lolo's sibling, who always says yes whenever I ask him to have a boat ride. He knows that I write blogs.

I am not sure we will be able to go in the underground river, the two caves, have an island hopping, and then do a port and cliff jumping since it's pouring heavily here. Hope Mr. Sun will say hi tomorrow.

Hays, I miss you, Lo.

PS. I writing this on my phone. It's hard to add a footer.

K N E E L Y R A C 🌻